Posted: 2/16/16 at 2:04pm
What is the buzz about this show? I am very interested in seeing Kyle Beltran in his next project, having thought he was excellent in Gloria, The Flick, and Fortress of Solitude. Did anyone see this in Chicago a few years ago?
And, also, will Phylicia Rashad be enough of a draw that this will be impossible to rush?
Posted: 2/16/16 at 2:26pm
I haven't seen this particular play, but the playwright is a very interesting playwright (Choir Boy, The Brother/Sister Plays) and I am excited for it. Phylicia Rashad appears in theater pretty regularly (so seeing her in a play doesn't really rise to the level of event) and I've never known her to be able to sell out shows on her name alone. You should be fine.
Updated On: 2/16/16 at 02:26 PM
Posted: 2/16/16 at 2:44pm
This play was very difficult in Chicago. (Spoilers, I guess?) The first act was a somewhat conventional family drama. It's super entertaining and fairly delightful. The second act was something entirely different, unconventional and ultimately quite powerful. HOWEVER. I think a lot of the audience was very disappointed to return from intermission and be greeted by a completely different kind of play than the one that they left. You could feel the frustration settle in as the second act progressed and the audience realized they'd been cheated of the second act they thought they were getting.
The set and direction were amazing. AMAZING. I personally loved the play and the experience but I know a lot of people did not. The character Phylicia Rashad hardly left the stage in Chicago... so... if you're a fan... you'll get to see a lot of her.
Updated On: 2/16/16 at 02:44 PM
Posted: 3/19/16 at 11:09am
I'm seeing it tonight and will post my impressions.
Posted: 3/20/16 at 9:17am
Well, sad to say, I didn't enjoy Head of Passes very much. I would even say this show is for Phylicia Rashad fans only. I had real trouble connecting with McCraney's language. I had loved Choir Boy, which was what led me to want to see this. But I had a lot of trouble deciphering McCraney's meaning throughout this, and I didn't feel I got to know the characters all that much, including the main character.
I agree with KJisgroovy, above, about the structure of the play. Like Barbecue, the second act is radically different from the first.
Also, if you're a fan of set design or do that for a living, this show is a must-see. More on that below.
Act I is your basic dysfunctional-family drama with some interesting elements. Rashad plays Shelah, the matriarch. She's devoutly religious and speaks often to God in times of need, but she's also hiding a secret, which is revealed in Act Two. The family has gathered on this rainy night to celebrate Shelah's birthday. Much of the dialogue concerns the fact that the roof on the grand old house is in need of repair, and rain is leaking in everywhere.
Unrelated to the secret, she's facing a fatal illness, which she has decided not to treat. Her family doesn't know about it, and she intends to tell them about it at the party.
Act 2 is basically a monologue after the devastating events of Act 1. Rashad is alone on the stage for most of the time, her family and friends having being banished by her in anger and sorrow. Here is where I tired of the play and felt it went off the rails. I also felt her performance veered into scenery-chewing. I'm sorry if that offends anyone, because I know that she is an accomplished and respected stage actress, but I felt the histrionics were over the top. I was sitting in the second row, so maybe her performance would play better farther back.
The other performances were excellent, particularly Alana Arenas as the wayward daughter with drug problems (although she was hardly subtle either). Also, the set is put to good use, as it reflects Shelah's life and state of mind as she deteriorates.
I think fans of Rashad and McCraney should see this. I'm interested to hear what others think.
According to the program, Head of Passes is where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico. Before I learned that fact, I kept thinking the play was about a school hallway monitor.
Updated On: 3/20/16 at 09:17 AM
Posted: 3/25/16 at 11:45am
Has anyone else seen the show in previews? thoughts?
